Former TIPNG worker jailed

 By ELIAS NANAU

A FORMER employee of Transparency International PNG has been jailed for four years for money-laundering and other fraud-related offences.

Justice George Manuhu told Chennish Paul Pulei, 37, from Pitilu Island in Manus that it was one of the worst cases of breach of trust.

“This is one of the worst instances of breach of trust especially when he was with Transparency International,” Manuhu said.

“Everyone is fed up with this type of dishonesty. The penalty for misappropriation should be increased. 

“Ten years is not adequate. In the present case a custodial sentence is warranted. However, given the plea of guilty he will get some reduction.”

Manuhu jailed Pulei, a father of three, last Wednesday to four years for money laundering and related charges.

Manuhu said probation was not appropriate for a person like Pulei who committed the offence over 10 months even after he was sacked. He said the amount involved was more than K100,000.

Police said between January and October in 2008, Pulei was employed by Transparency International as a finance officer.

His duties involved furnishing financial statements, maintaining records, reconciling accounts, raising payment vouchers and banking.

During this period, Pulei misused amounts of money ranging from K180 to K31,392.72.

Transparency International sacked him in October 2008 but he fraudulently got his signature included as one of the signatories to the TIPNG account with Bank South Pacific.

Pulei then obtained 16 cheque leaves and went on a spending spree after cashing amounts totaling K69,450 even after he was sacked.

He approached one Paul Wagun to purchase a vehicle costing K15,000. Separate payments were made to Wagun and his wife.

Pulei also paid for his children’s school fees at Nonu Day Care Nursery School and Port Moresby Grammar School.

He raised a K5,000 cheque to pay Certified Practising Accountants, in which he asked the organisation to deduct K275 and remit the balance of K4,725 to his personal account.

The organisation noted that the cheque was from TIPNG and later discovered that it was fraudulently obtained.